An underrated, impressive and engaging tale of old Hollywood.
There has not been a lot of luck befallen upon the actors that have played Superman over the years. Most of us are familiar with Christopher Reeve's tragic horse riding accident that left him bound to a wheelchair until his passing a few years ago. Years before that, George Reeves, whose death is the subject of Hollywoodland, purportedly took his own life, although the circumstances of his death were questionable and many still believe he was murdered to this day. Brandon Routh took over the role of the Man of Steel in last year’s Superman Returns and we can hope that his lot in life is better than his last two predecessors.
Hollywoodland is the tale of George Reeves’ (Ben Affleck) and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death by a detective named Louis Cimo (Adrien Brody). The tale is told in present time 1959 just after Reeves’ June death and in flashbacks into Reeves’ life. In the early 50’s, Reeves was still a promising young actor looking for his first big break. He had played a small part in the epic classic Gone With the Wind, but his star had not broken out like he had hoped after that. He began seeing a high society woman named Toni Mannix (Diane Lane) and she took him on as her own personal project. Toni and her husband, studio enforcer Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins) had an arrangement where they were allowed to see others, and Toni lavished Reeves with everything he needed, from clothes and expensive jewelry to a house and, ultimately, his first big break.
In the early 50’s, Reeves was offered a part in a low budget Superman series on TV. Reeves considered the part beneath him, but took it in the hopes it would quickly lead to something better. Instead, Superman was a huge hit, running on TV for years and typecasting Reeves as the Man of Steel for the rest of time. Bitter and bordering on alcoholism, Reeves decided to leave Maddix and head to New York. He met a spunky New York girl (Robin Tunney) before he left the West Coast and they got engaged. Just before moving, Reeves allegedly killed himself on a drunken night after leaving a party of friends (and his fiancee) downstairs. In Hollywoodland, Reeves’ mother hires Cimo (who himself did not exist in reality, but was rather an amalgam of a few people) to prove that Reeves did not kill himself, but was actually murdered.
When Hollywood was released last year, it was met with generally positive, less than glowing reviews. It was liked, but not highly praised. Watching the DVD for this review, I expected a similar take on the movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed this film. It’s well-acted, well-directed and the story is engaging and fascinating. Honestly, if I had seen it earlier, it would have been on my list as one of the best films of 2006.
Ben Affleck, whose career has spiralled to a level of parody in recent years, offers up his finest performance since Chasing Amy. I’ve always defended Affleck as a credible actor, especially when working with a director who knows how to challenge him. He’s great as Reeves. He not only looks and sounds a lot like him (with the small aid of a prosthetic nose), but he also gives the part a great likability. You identify and feel for Reeves, a man who found success but failed to acknowledge it, always one step away from the true stardom he desired.
Adrien Brody is great as Cimo. It’s interesting how he manages to form an attachment to a man he’s never met. Brody’s Cimo could have easily been a kind of schmo, but his strong performance gives Cimo a heart. Brody is one of the best actors of his generation and this is another feather in his cap.
The rest of the supporting cast is perfectly chosen and equally strong, from Diane Lane’s Toni Mannix to Hoskins mean-spirited Eddie Mannix and Robin Tunney's almost reprehensible and uncaring Leonore Lemon.
Director Allen Coulter approaches the tale with a very delicate touch and an obvious love of old Hollywood. He pays close attention to each and every detail, from the period cars and locations to the manner of speaking. Groomed on Network TV and HBO’s Sex and the City, Sopranos and Six Feet Under, Coulter looks to have a promising feature career ahead of him.
After watching the first hour and intending to go to bed, I had to finish it, resulting in a viewing into the wee hours of the night and a tiring next work day. It’s a great flick, and I couldn’t wait to dig into the special features, which I’ll discuss below. Hollywoodland is a high recommendation.
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What’s on the Disc
First is a collection of three short documentaries, each running under ten minutes.
Re-creating Old Hollywood explores how Coulter and his designers re-created Hollywood locations from the 50’s. It’s cool to see how detailed their work was and all the work that goes into a period piece such as this one.
Hollywood Then and Now takes us through the locations portrayed in the movie and what exists in their place in present day. A piece anyone intrigued by Old Hollywood history (such as myself) should find interesting.
Behind the Headlines discusses the real-life mysterious investigation into George Reeves’ death.
Next, we have a short collection of deleted scenes. They are interesting for fans, but as usual, the movie is probably better for their omission.
Finally, we have a feature commentary by Coulter. He’s engaging and informative and his passion for the project really comes through. Many director commentaries can lean towards the dry side, but this one is actually pretty good.